Improvement in cotton-presses



J. H. S l M U N S0 N Cotton-Presses.

Patenied July 7,11874.

V WITNESSES vinili:

Y .wmf/{Vj} ATTonNEYs. J

UNITED ,STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. SIMONSON, OF EAST NORWIOH, NEW YORK.

lMPROVEMENT IN COTTON-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,Sl2,`dated July 7, 1874; application led May 9, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J oHN H. SiMoNsoN, of East Norwich, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Press for Hay, &c., of which the following is a specification:

The invention will first be fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of my improved press. Fig. `2 is a plan view, and Fig. is a detail in section, showing the positions of the upper head and the connecting-gear, when the head is lifted up to the top of the case to be slid ott' to open, the case.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is the bottom head or follower, and B is the upper one. They are fitted to slide up and down inside of the case C, the lower one having the long projections D extending through slots E in the side of the case, to be connected to the racks F, for being raised and lowered by the gears G, and the upper ones having the short projections H extending through slots E, to be connected to racks I, which are also operated by the Wheels G, one set of racks being on one side and the other set on the other side of the wheels, so that they move the heads in opposite direc tions by one and the same movement of the wheels. These wheels are geared with the driving-shafts by a pair of eccentric toothed wheels, K, so adjusted that the leverage of the power increases progressively as the work progresses and the resistance increases, thus making the' labor uniform throughout the operation.

The proportion of the increase may be va ried to suit the requirements of the case by varying the form of the eccentric wheels.

The driving-shaft is worked by a handlever, L, pawl M, and a ratchetwheel, N. The ratchet-wheel is in this case made eccentric also, to increase the gain of leverage; but this may be done or not, as may be preferred.

In consequence of making the ratchetwheel eccentric it is necessary to employ a are forcedA up.

separate ratchet-v wheel, P, for the holding= pawls Q, but if not so made, one ratchet will answer for both pawls.

Vhen I use an eccentric ratchetwheel, N, I provide it with differential teeth, beginning with the shortest at the small diameter, and increasing their length as the diameter increases, by which the same sweep of the hand-lever will always move the pawl the length of one tooth, whereas with teeth of uniform length the lever would have to be moved through a greater range when the pawl was working on the small part of the wheel, and the range would be constantly changing, which would be very awkward for the operators. l

The projections H of follower B connect with racks I, by sliding under the hooks R, by which the follower is pulled down, and they have a hook projecting over hooks R, by which the follower is raised when the racks The racks also have a hook, I, by which they engage with the cross-bars U when raised up to be held properly for the projections H to engage with them when the follower is moved back over the press when it is iilled. V represents the ways on the top of the press on which the follower slides forward and backward.

The two followers will be contrived so as to bala-nce each other, or very nearly so, and thus but little force will be required to move them back after a bale is discharged.

If preferred, the lower one maybe enough heavier than the other to cause them to be returned self-actingly by gravity. f

The lower follower is, by this arrangement of the operating-gear, allowed to descend to the bottom of the press, so that the press need not be built as high as when some of the gear for working the follower is placed under it.

The cover affords a serviceable table for the one stuffing thepress to stand on and receive the hay and stuft' it in the case.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patt ent 1. The combination of gem* G, rack bar and hooks R S, to slide forward and. back to I, and eccentric ratchet-Wheel N, with rntchopen and close the press-case, substantially as eted. lever and. paiwl, as and for the purpose described.

set forth. 4. The combination of hook T and bar U 2. The combination, with a. pawl and ratchwith rack I, substantially as specified. et-lever, of the eccentric ratchet- Wheel 112W- 1 ing graduated notches, as and for the purpose JOHN H IMONSON' specified. v -Vit-nesses 3. The upper follower B, detachably con- GEO. S. DOWNING, nected to the racks I by the projections H JOHN MCGUIRE. 

